WHEN Shaun Williamson describes his soap career you imagine a giant mouth scooping him up and trapping him behind sharp incisors for a decade.

He was, as he puts it, “gobbled up by EastEnders for nine years” upon leaving theatre school at the age of 30, having decided to go into acting in his late-20s.

“Television is great for fame, it makes you famous purely because you get buzzed into everyone’s front rooms,” explains the man known by millions as “Barry from EastEnders” thanks to his regular slot in Ricky Gervase’s and Stephen Merchants’ comedy Extras.

“It’s the easy option to keep resigning a contract but, you know, let’s face it, it’s a great job.

“There aren’t many jobs that give you that sort of money and you are doing something different every week even though it can look very similar. You get to play big things like murder and divorce.”

But itching for work in the theatre, he was delighted to land the role of Fletcher in Porridge, a part immortalised by Ronnie Barker in the 1970s TV show, in the touring production at the Liverpool Empire this week.

“I used to watch it with my dad and it’s hard to believe that I’m now the age Ronnie Barker was then. I’m 45 now and a similar weight,” he chuckles.

“Even at 10 or 11 I could see it was great writing.

“When you’ve got great writing and a great cast it’s comedy gold.”

He describes the role as “one of the reasons why you get in the business”, but admits he was initially daunted to be following in Barkers’ footsteps.